Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi has called for a national dialogue at the Islamic Conference for Combating Violence against Women in Baghdad on 27 August.

The call for a peaceful settlement of the political disagreements between supporters of the Sadrist movement and the Coordination Framework (CF) was made after rival factions deployed armed fighters to Baghdad’s Green Zone.

The Prime Minister warned that “if a clash happens, the situation could get out of control,” and that it threatens the country’s social security and economic development in times of difficulties.

The political crisis could be solved by trusting one another according to the Prime Minister, as the country’s current deadlock is the longest political crisis since the US invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Meanwhile, the country’s top Supreme Court has announced that it would hold a session to discuss the dissolution of the parliament on 30 August, after supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr occupied the vicinities of the headquarters, prompting the decision to shut down all courts across the country for a day.

The crisis was prompted after Muqtada al-Sadr’s movement swept 73 out of 329 seats in the country’s parliament during the October 2021 election, but failed to form a coalition government, leading to the withdrawal of all 73 MPs.

The situation then further escalated when Al-Sadr called on his followers to storm and occupy the country’s parliament to prevent the formation of a new government, which according to the constitution was now in the hands of the CF.

While supporters of Al-Sadr demand the dissolution of the Parliament and call for new elections, supporters of the CF demand the formation of a new government under the current Parliament.

According to reports, an estimated 850 armed fighters of the Saraya al-Salam group have been deployed to Baghdad’s Green Zone “to secure and sustain the Sadrist sit-in.”